I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to refuse collecting vehicles and, particularly, to any, rear-discharging refuse vehicle having a packing panel system which utilizes a follower panel and a wiper member such that it can accommodate deposition of refuse with the system in any position of a packing cycle. The packing system, which includes a packing panel with connected follower, is provided with a long-wearing, abrasion-resistant wiper blade fixed in position to engage the top surface of the packer panel so that retraction of the follower/packer panel causes the wiper blade to sweep off any deposited refuse material. Particular applications include front and side loading vehicles.
II. Related Art
Refuse hauling vehicles commonly include a heavy-duty chassis including a forward cab and a separately manufactured truck body mounted on the chassis and dedicated to receiving, compacting, hauling and discharging refuse materials. The truck body which attaches to the chassis generally includes all the associated hydraulic, pneumatic and/or electrical operating mechanisms associated with heavy-duty packing and ejection equipment. In front or side-loading systems, a charging or receiving hopper or section is provided behind the cab and forward of the storage volume to accept deposited refuse. The receiving section further contains a packing system for packing deposited refuse rearward into a storage enclosure. As indicated, the receiving area or section is located behind the truck cab and refuse to be hauled is loaded into the receiving area as by tipping containers, either manually, with a cart tipper or other mechanized container handling system which, in the case of a side-loading vehicle, is mounted on one side of the charging hopper or to the truck chassis. Thus, loading of the charging area is accomplished through side openings or an open top. The packing system includes a reciprocating or sometimes rotating ram, usually hydraulically operated, which compacts the material moving it rearward into the storage compartment where it is eventually compacted against a heavy-duty tailgate, normally in the shape of a pressure vessel.
It is known to provide a front, rear or side-loading refuse vehicle body with a packing and ejecting mechanism that packs refuse from a charging area or section into an associated hollow storage enclosure. The body is usually designed to be tipped to fully eject the refuse from the storage enclosure, but it may have an ejector design that enables it to fully eject refuse without tipping. In front loading vehicles, it is known to provide frontal forks or a mechanized lifting and emptying apparatus situated on one side of the receiving hopper such that a container of interest may be engaged and emptied into the receiving hopper. A side-loading apparatus typically includes a holding or grasping device generally connected to an arm or extensible boom which is connected, in turn, to a base mounted on the vehicle. The arm or boom and grasping device are operated in concert to engage a container of interest, lift and dump the container into the receiving hopper in the vehicle. Such systems are typically operated using one or more hydraulic devices to extend or retract the boom, pivot the arm and open and close the grabbing device. Examples of such booms are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,657,654; 5,769,592; and 5,931,628.
Side loading refuse collection truck bodies may be manually loaded, have cart tipper or automatic loading devices, or combine or accommodate both manual and automated-type container loading abilities. Packer panel systems have also been provided with connected follower members that enable the loading of refuse to proceed with the packer panel in any position, including a fully extended packing position. While all of these types of systems have also been provided with wiper devices to remove material deposited on the top of the packer panel and follower, known wiper devices have been subject to early deterioration and have required frequent replacement, thus, there remains a need for a packer panel system including a wiper system that produces more efficient material removal and longer wiper life.